6 Bungie games collapsed after Sony acquisition

The story of Bungie is often one of epic scope and high expectations, yet recent events have left many wondering what could have been. Amidst the recent slowdowns—from stalled updates on Destiny 2 to a muted response to major titles like Marathon—the studio seems to have dwindled to a skeleton crew. But the real story might lie in the massive pipeline of potential that existed long before the Sony acquisition.

A new report suggests that prior to the $3.6 billion purchase, Bungie was not just focused on one major title, but was managing a much larger slate of live service games. According to Jason Schreier of Bloomberg, the studio had “five or six” other live service projects in development that Sony was keen on bringing into the fold in the years following the acquisition.

This massive portfolio, integral to Sony’s interest in the company, represents a fascinating paradox. While the financial valuation was immense, many of these ambitious projects ultimately did not see the light of day. The reason is simply that, for a variety of reasons, most of these games fell apart.

While specifics remain scarce regarding the exact nature of these shelved endeavors, some of the likely candidates include Marathon, the mobile title Destiny: Rising (released in 2025), and Project Payback, a game inspired by Warframe, which was shut down in 2024.

Even more intriguing is the existence of projects like Project Sunspot, which was canceled in 2023, and Project Gummy Bears, which was brought in-house by Sony and remains under development, though the extent of its progress is unknown.

It is a sobering thought: a studio valued at billions, built on incredible creative talent, and possessing a robust pipeline of potential, yet seeing so many projects vanish into the ether. The eventual outcomes of these shelved games will remain a mystery, leaving fans to wonder what magnificent worlds might have existed had these ambitions been realized.